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Since 1973, when the CFL went to primarily a one-game division final setup, the Grey Cup host has gone on the road eight times in an attempt to go back home and play in the big game on their own turf.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders will become the ninth team in that situation on Sunday when they visit the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium, and history, while not exactly on their side, isn’t terrible.

The team that goes on the road needing a win to play in their own Grey Cup is 3-5 in the division-final round since 1973. That includes the Argonauts’ win over Montreal at Olympic Stadium last year.

The Riders had to go on the road for the West Final the last time they hosted the Grey Cup, in 2003, but they ended up on the wrong end of a 30-23 decision against the Edmonton Eskimos.

If you’re hosting the Grey Cup and you lose the division final, you have to go home and quickly vacate your locker room so the team that just beat you can come in and make themselves comfortable.

Do the Riders, who have had their fair share of battles with the Stampeders over the years, really need more motivation than that?

Riders GM Brendan Taman believes his team has shown this season it can produce a great effort when needed.

“Throughout the year they’ve risen to challenges, and it seems like when our backs are against the wall, whether it’s in a game or if we’re on a two-game losing streak, we usually stand up and play pretty good,” Taman said.

He pointed to two key games against the B.C. Lions, whom they were fighting with for second place.

“We went out to B.C., and if we lose that game, we’re not going to get a home playoff game. We won,” Taman said. “Then we gotta beat them back here to get the home playoff game. We won. Then we played them here in the playoff game and we won.

“People will say, ‘Yeah, well, two of them didn’t have (Travis) Lulay.’ Well, that’s true, but they’re still a good team. So when the pressure’s been on the line we’ve performed pretty well.”

GOT GETZ?

The Riders got some good news on Friday when head coach Corey Chamblin announced slotback Chris Getzlaf will play on Sunday.

Getzlaf, the team’s leading receiver this season with 63 catches for 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns, missed last Sunday’s 29-25 win over the B.C. Lions in the West Division semifinal with a knee injury sustained against Calgary on Oct. 26.

Not only is Getzlaf the team’s top receiving target this season, but he always seems to have pretty big games against Calgary. He has 73 catches for 1,185 yards and 11 touchdowns in his last 18 contests against the Stampeders, including three TD grabs in three games this season.

On the other hand, Getzlaf hasn’t had a 100-yard outing against the Red and White since 2010.

LATE HITS

The weather, as always at this time of year, could be a factor on Sunday. Calgary is supposed to get 15 cm of snow on Saturday — along with 70 km/h wind gusts — and then reach a high of only -11 C on Sunday afternoon … The Riders are expected to make at least three lineup changes on Sunday. Getzlaf, defensive tackle Jermaine McElveen and backup linebacker Diamond Ferri are in, while defensive tackle Tearrius George (knee), receiver Eron Riley and backup linebacker Kevin Regimbald are out … The Riders were scheduled to take a charter flight to Calgary on Friday night.

Saskatchewan Roughriders look to play in Grey Cup at home

Since 1973, when the CFL went to primarily a one-game division final setup, the Grey Cup host has gone on the road eight times in an attempt to go back home and play in the big game on their own turf.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders will become the ninth team in that situation on Sunday when they visit the Calgary Stampeders at McMahon Stadium, and history, while not exactly on their side, isn’t terrible.

The team that goes on the road needing a win to play in their own Grey Cup is 3-5 in the division-final round since 1973. That includes the Argonauts’ win over Montreal at Olympic Stadium last year.

The Riders had to go on the road for the West Final the last time they hosted the Grey Cup, in 2003, but they ended up on the wrong end of a 30-23 decision against the Edmonton Eskimos.